January plans! Arsenal weigh up €80m move for Barcelona star Olmo
Arsenal are considering a January move for Barcelona attacker Dani Olmo, according to Spanish reports. The north London club are weighing up an €80 million bid for the 28-year-old Spain international as Mikel Arteta looks to add creativity to his squad for the second half of the season.
Details: According to El Nacional and Fichajes, Arsenal have identified Olmo as a key target for the winter window, with the playmaker viewed as a player who would fit Arteta's style perfectly. Barcelona, however, value the midfielder at between €80 million and €90 million and have no intention of letting him leave cheaply, especially with his contract running until 2030. Olmo joined the Catalan club from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2024 for €61 million, shortly after sharing the top-scorer award at Euro 2024 and helping Spain win the tournament. Arsenal's interest is not new: intermediaries reportedly contacted the Gunners and the rest of the Premier League's big six about Olmo's availability last month, while journalist Enric Canyellas claimed earlier this week that Olmo is close to agreeing a move and currently has a good chance of leaving Camp Nou. For their part, Bayern Munich are also reportedly preparing a €90 million bid of their own.
The biggest obstacle to any deal may be the player himself. Olmo has repeatedly insisted he is happy at Barcelona and has no plans to leave, telling Mundo Deportivo just days ago that Barca fans can rest easy and that, as far as he is concerned, there is nothing to say on the matter. He remains an important part of Hansi Flick's plans despite competition for places in a star-studded attack. From Arsenal's perspective, the appeal is obvious: Olmo is a versatile creator capable of playing on the wing, in central midfield or as a forward, and he knows what it takes to perform on the biggest stages. With the Gunners sitting second in the Premier League but having suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Arteta is keen to ensure his squad has enough quality to sustain a title challenge through the winter months.
It's worth noting that Olmo was offered to several Premier League clubs by intermediaries in September as Barcelona weighed up whether to cash in to fund a defensive rebuild, with Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni reportedly a leading target for the Catalans. A sale of Olmo could therefore help Barcelona finance their own January plans, which means this story could develop quickly once the window approaches.
Reminder: Battle for €90 million! Bayern preparing a blockbuster offer for Dani Olmo.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
